Handloads at indoor range

[Morrey]

A new 25 yard indoor range recently opened near my hometown. I took my Glock 17 with RMR hardcore match plated perfectly crafted handloads to give it a try.

I approached the front desk and the owner asked to see my gun and ammo. Without hesitation, he says sorry no hand loads allowed. Hummm. He points to the shelf and says we have all the ammo you need right here for sale (at very high prices).

There was another shooter beside me at the counter asking if he could pickup his spent brass that landed behind the shooter box. Sorry, sir, that brass will belong to the range. Smart butt attitude as well.

So, aside from being a smarty butt, are these two points typical of indoor ranges? I did note his bullets for sale were not frangible or otherwise eco friendly, just regular old jacketed PD and jacketed ammo off the shelf.

Is this normal? I shoot at outdoor clubs anyway so I am not indoor trained.

 

[rodinal220]

Take your business elsewhere.Your brass is your property.At ranges that do not try to steal/rob you of your property,put your reloads in a factory box/container.

 

[howlnmad]

There is one close by that has somewhat of an attitude about handloads. I just put them in a factory box and never had a problem. As to picking up brass; whatever lands forward of the rail is then the property of the range, behind the rail can be picked up.

 

[P5 Guy]

That is NOT a range I would shoot at, ever.
I rarely buy ammo, just 22LR, nearly all my range stuff is reloads.

 

[ROAshooter]

I concur with..."take your business elsewhere"....my indoor range...only has one rule....no steel core....must pass the magnet test.....reloads are fine...picking up your brass is fine.....

 

[Morrey]

I kinda figured this is a hardline attitude since he is new to the business. I will simply save a few factory boxes and put my rounds in them. They look factory anyway so he will have no clue.

I'll ask him to reconsider allowing brass to be picked up behind the shooting rail. I absolutely understand I cant go forward of the firing line, but most of my Glock ejected brass ends up behind me anyway. Maybe he will soften up some once he gets the feel of this new range.

 

[ZWCoffindaffer]

Thats a crap rule. Especially the not picking up your own brass part, thats in a gray area I would almost call theft. There is a range near me that doesnt allow handloads either. I never go there. Want to hear the icing on the cake though? The ammunition they try to get you to buy to use at their range are reloads from a company they sell the brass back to. soooo, I cant use my handloads, but I CAN use reloads that are manufactured by one of your business associates. NO THANKS!

 

[howlnmad]

I kinda figured this is a hardline attitude since he is new to the business. I will simply save a few factory boxes and put my rounds in them. They look factory anyway so he will have no clue.

I'll ask him to reconsider allowing brass to be picked up behind the shooting rail. I absolutely understand I cant go forward of the firing line, but most of my Glock ejected brass ends up behind me anyway. Maybe he will soften up some once he gets the feel of this new range.

Or you may want to look into portable brass catchers.

 

[PCCUSNRET]

I imagine they exist, but I have never shot at or will shoot at an indoor range in Virginia that would steal my brass or does not allow the use of handloads.

 

[GBExpat]

So ... they charge you a fee to use the range and require you to buy & use only their high-priced ammo with the understanding that they will own the fired cases of the ammo that they just required you to buy at a premium price? <chuckle> That is nuts.

I would be outa there fast, never to return ...

 

[ReloaderFred]

Indoor ranges for the most part are privately owned and can make any rules they want. You, being a private citizen can also make the choice to either patronize them, or not.

Some ranges require non-toxic ammunition because of their HVAC system, but that doesn't seem to be the case in this instance if they're selling off the shelf ammunition that isn't NT.

It seems they're trying to maximize their income, but to some degree I can see why. The HVAC system alone can cost up to a million dollars, depending on the size of the range and the expected usage. There is also the upkeep to the HVAC system, which means regularly changing the filters, which are expensive, and then disposing of them, which can also be expensive.

On top of that, they have the lead issues to deal with, along with the constant monitoring by the state and local regulatory agencies. They have to buy a special HEPA vacuum for use on the range and the range needs to be wet mopped regularly to reduce the threat of fire from unburned powder. The mop water then has to be disposed of in a manner that won't bring down the wrath of the above regulatory agencies. There is a lot of upkeep to an indoor range after the initial expense of building it, and that doesn't include the wages and insurance to just keep it open.

With that said, some range owners are just not wired to dealing with people in a fair and equitable manner, just like in any other business. That's where you exercise your option to take your business elsewhere.

I've only shot on one privately owned indoor range, and I didn't care for the experience at all. I felt like I was trapped in a cage with a bunch of rabid squirrels......

The only other indoor range I've fired on was at the FBI Academy at Quantico, VA, and that was a pleasant experience, simply because the range was run properly and the academy was furnishing the guns and ammunition.....

Shooting is supposed to be fun, and if that particular indoor range wasn't fun, then go elsewhere.

Hope this helps.

Fred

 

[SIG9Fan]

Take your business elsewhere. Of the four ranges in my town only one does this. They're new and pushing annual memberships $650-$1000 per year. Break even is shooting more than once a week. I would think the reloader niche would be their market. Yet, they won't allow reloads of any kind and are more than happy to sell you remanufactured ammo (from brass presumably gathered from their range) at hugely marked up prices.

While I wont shoot there, I'll cut them some slack considering how expensive it probably is to open a new range.

 

[CZ9shooter]

One range around here has those idiotic rules. Tried it once. Never again. Plus, they were coming by every few minutes looking over my shoulder like I was a criminal or something.

The other indoor outfits around allow reloads and picking up of brass, as long as you don't bother other shooters. They watch for unsafe practices, but they dont hound a guy to death.

 

[SlayerOfBunnies]

Heck with those guys. We have a relatively new range with three bays - two for pistol and one for rifle or pistol. I guess the one has sturdier backstops or something. Anyway, for a while, they were having you shoot handloads in the rifle friendly bay but that's the only place I've ever shot that even differentiated.

As to them taking your brass, it's not unusual for brass to end up across the firing line and for you to lose access to it at that point but for them to tell you that your brass is now ours? Don't think so, skippy.

 

[tightgroup tiger]

I had my own trials with the indoor range I shoot at and we talked and worked it out.
I still go there and they are friends of mine now.

 

[Lost Sheep]

Can't hurt to try, can it? Approach the owner at a slow time.

A new 25 yard indoor range recently opened near my hometown. I took my Glock 17 with RMR hardcore match plated perfectly crafted handloads to give it a try.

I approached the front desk and the owner asked to see my gun and ammo. Without hesitation, he says sorry no hand loads allowed. Hummm. He points to the shelf and says we have all the ammo you need right here for sale (at very high prices).

There was another shooter beside me at the counter asking if he could pickup his spent brass that landed behind the shooter box. Sorry, sir, that brass will belong to the range. Smart butt attitude as well.

So, aside from being a smarty butt, are these two points typical of indoor ranges? I did note his bullets for sale were not frangible or otherwise eco friendly, just regular old jacketed PD and jacketed ammo off the shelf.

Is this normal? I shoot at outdoor clubs anyway so I am not indoor trained.

I am with tightgroup tiger (post 15). Sit down with the owner/manager and acquaint him with the economics of reloads, reloading and reloaders.

1) Reloaders shoot more often and are more likely to keep up the customer traffic
2) Reloaders not allowed to retrieve their own brass (even from factory ammo when the do shoot it) will tend to shoot elsewhere
3) Reloaders do bring in other shooters who don't reload (raising the customer base and providing the free once-fired brass)
4) Customer-friendly attitude pays dividends and costs nothing
5) Reloaders tend to be more careful, as shooters, as customers, as examples to newer shooters who may not know the 4 safety rules. Reloaders are a range resource, free of cost to the range.

If these advantages are not persuasive to the range, then you can give up on it. Having given the range the opportunity to be a better host, you have taken the high road and just might make the world a better place, if not now, down the road.

Lost Sheep, ever optimistic

 

[Spats McGee]

I shoot at one of two indoor ranges. Both work essentially the same way:

You have to shoot their ammo if you're renting a gun. If it's your gun, you can shoot whatever you want, except maybe steel core. Then again, they've never run a magnet past my ammo. They've also never asked me whether I was shooting reloads. My brass is mine to pick up as long as it's behind the rail.

 

[Reloadron]

The range has every right to impose their rules. You have every right to do an about face and walk away. God, I love America. Seriously a range I shoot at went under new management and with new management came new rules. They were within their rights and I walked. Several of the guns I shoot toss the brass forward so that is a loss, revolvers are pretty much self explanatory, so I am happy to get whatever .45 ACP or 38 Super brass I can.

A few new ranges have sprung up and it's time for me to find an indoor range (I have an outdoor range). On average they run about $350 annual membership so it's a matter of who gives me what for the buck. I still have 1 or 2 I need to follow up on.

Just My Take....
Ron

 

[Shootshellz]

My indoor range forbids the use of lead bullets (except .22's) and steel/aluminum cased ammo; reloaded ammunition is allowed (other than the above lead bullet prohibition). They check all of the ammo you bring, so you can't fool them by putting the above prohibited ammo in factory boxes. You are free to collect spent brass (although I always ask other shooters permission before rounding up their brass). You also have to purchase their (reasonably priced) ammo to shoot in their rental handguns (which I don't have a problem with). Here in the Pacific Northwest an indoor range is pretty much a requirement in order to shoot year-round (unless you like catching pneumonia).

 

[highlander 5]

Should you go back ( I wouldn't ) fix his little red wagon fire a revolver. Interesting the owner could tell handloads from factory,not to brag but almost everyone that examine my handloads swear they're factory. Granted I segregate my brass by manufacturer polish brass the whole nine yards.

 

[Reloadron]

My indoor range forbids the use of lead bullets (except .22's) and steel/aluminum cased ammo; reloaded ammunition is allowed (other than the above lead bullet prohibition). They check all of the ammo you bring, so you can't fool them by putting the above prohibited ammo in factory boxes. You are free to collect spent brass (although I always ask other shooters permission before rounding up their brass). You also have to purchase their (reasonably priced) ammo to shoot in their rental handguns (which I don't have a problem with). Here in the Pacific Northwest an indoor range is pretty much a requirement in order to shoot year-round (unless you like catching pneumonia).

If they forbid the use of lead bullets (except 22) that can really increase ammunition cost can't it? Do other ranges allow lead or is this like a statewide thing?

Ron

 

[Average Joe]

Not a place that would see me again.

 

[Morrey]

OMG...please get a load of this I just discovered....

I called the range I just posted about and played like I had never been there.

Me: Hi, I heard you opened a new range and I'd like info.

Them: Thanks for calling, what can we help you with?

Me: A bit of chit chat about membership and hourly prices. Then....I reload high quality rounds. May I shoot them at your range?

Them: No hand loads allowed. Range rules.

Me: Thanks. Are shooters allowed to pick up brass?

Them: No sir.

Me: What do you do with this brass...may I purchase certain calibers?

Them: No, we sell it to a company who is going to RELOAD it and SELL it back to us.

End of conversation after thanks for the info.

WOW..is this some bull or what? You all were correct....according to their business model, I would BUY reloads from them, they steal my brass, RELOAD it and sell it back to me. what a darn joke! I wish them the best of luck!

 

[Shootshellz]

Reloadron: I can purchase plated bullets for nearly the same cost as lead. Plus I don't have to futz with lead removal from my barrels. And no, the no lead requirement is not a statewide rule. I believe it keeps the indoor air cleaner (no 'purple haze'). If I want to shoot lead rounds I can bop over to my outdoors range I belong to.

 

[cfullgraf]

While I can see the gun range's policy is frustrating, I can understand what they hope to do.

As a data point of one, when I shot at an indoor range, they made next to nothing on me except for range rental time. I brought my own ammunition, collected as much brass as i could, bought virtually nothing in the retail section of the store, and generally used the minimum amount of range time.

The range in question is trying to increase their revenues feeling that they will make more money from the ammunition buying public than what they might lose from reloaders who only rent a lane.

The OP needs to vote with his pocket book and shoot somewhere else.